Your yard can be home to stunning landscape details like plants and water features, but it could also be home to pesky pests like mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas. These pests can migrate to your property and carry harmful diseases that can affect you and your loved ones. Keeping these bothersome pests away from your property is vital.

Routine pest control, yard cleanups, and natural, bug-repellant plants are some of the ways you can ensure your property is a safe and enjoyable environment for you and your family. Below are helpful pieces of information about these pests and ways your landscaping company can help control them.

Mosquitoes, fleas, and ticks could be carrying various diseases.

Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes affect over 700 million people annually with mosquito-borne diseases, which is why it is so important to do what you can to prevent their bites. These long-legged flying insects could potentially be carrying diseases such as:

  • West Nile Virus (WNV): Most people infected by the WNV will not exhibit symptoms. However, 1 in 150 infected people will develop serious and sometimes life-threatening symptoms.
  • Zika Virus: Symptoms of Zika virus include fever, headache, rash, joint and muscle pain.
  • Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE): This disease is rare; only a few cases are reported in the United States each year. EEE is often fatal and can have lasting neurological effects on survivors.

Ticks

Photo of a tick on someone's arm near Windsor Heights, IA.

The most common ticks found in Iowa include Deer tick, Lone Star tick, and American Dog tick. They are most likely to be found in tall grassy areas in your yard where humidity is just enough for their survival. If you notice a tick on you or a loved one and it cannot fully be removed, consult a doctor to avoid these three diseases:

  • Lyme Disease: The most common tick-borne disease is Lyme disease, characterized by a fever, headache, fatigue, and rashes.
  • Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever: The American Dog Tick is a common carrier of this harmful disease. Symptoms of RMSF include fever, rash, vomiting, nausea, and stomach pain.
  • Anaplasmosis: Symptoms of this disease like fever, severe headache, and muscle aches usually appear one to two weeks after being bitten.

Fleas

High-res photo of a flea near Altoona, IA.

Flea season in Iowa usually starts in April and lasts until late summer. Fleas are tiny insects that bite both animals and humans, however, they prefer animals because they are hairy. Fleas are carriers of these diseases:

  • Tularemia: Tularemia is a rare disease in the United States. There are available treatments to counter this disease.
  • Typhus: This disease is also rare in the United States. Symptoms include stomach pain, vomiting, and loss of appetite.

Prevent Diseases by Eradicating These Pests from Your Landscape

They always say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. This saying proves true for pests and the diseases they might be carrying. Routine pest control reduces your risk of catching harmful diseases from pesky mosquitoes, fleas, and ticks. A professional landscaping company like ours can sign your property up for routine treatments, keeping these disease-ridden insects away.

Besides routine pest control treatments, a more natural way to help eradicate the problem is with seasonal yard cleanups. Mosquitoes, fleas, and ticks thrive in areas with tall grass and leaf piles. Lawn mowing and debris removal will remove these areas from your lawn, thus making it inhospitable for unwanted pests.

Lastly, bug-repellent plants also successfully deter mosquitoes, fleas, and ticks from your landscape. Contact our team for more information about what plants will work best as a natural bug-repellant while also looking great on your property. Some examples that we commonly plant are basil, lemongrass, and geraniums.

Seasonal yard cleanups and bug-repellant plants are natural ways to deter unwanted pests.

We can help keep your property safe from mosquitoes, fleas, and ticks. Call today!

At A+ Lawn & Landscape, we aim to consistently deliver exceptional services to your property. Our mosquito, flea, and tick control treatments are applied every five to six weeks during the pests' peak season. We also offer spring yard cleanups, fall yard cleanups, and can help you pick out natural, bug-repellant plants!

If your home or business is located in Des Moines, West Des Moines, Ankeny, IA, or a nearby areas, call us today at (515) 289-2020 to schedule. Protect your property today!